On May 9, the emblematic Sailing Training Ship B.A.P. “Unión” set sail from the dock before the Callao Naval Base, starting the Foreign Training Trip – VIEX 2025, where it will call at 10 foreign ports and 1 national port.
The protocol ceremony was presided over by the President of the Republic, Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra, and was attended by the President of the Judiciary and the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic, Janet Tello Gilardi; the President of the Council of Ministers, Gustavo Adrianzén Olaya; the Foreign Minister of the Republic and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmer Gonzalo Schialer Salcedo; the Minister of Defense, Walter Astudillo Chávez; the Commander General of the Navy, Admiral Luis José Polar Figari; as well as civil, military, diplomatic, ecclesiastical and family authorities.
During his speech, the Commander General of the Navy addressed the commander of the B.A.P. “Union”, reminding him that on his shoulders falls not only the safety of the ship and the integrity of its crew, but also the responsibility of training cadets as future officers of the Peruvian Navy. He stressed that the sea demands sacrifice, courage and an indomitable spirit, and that each challenge overcome strengthens both the individual and the group to which he belongs. He also thanked the public and private entities for their support of this journey, greeted the Peruvian mothers for their day and, in a special way, the naval mothers. Finally, he expressed his confidence that the cadets will return transformed, prepared to take on the challenges that the homeland entrusts to them.
It should be noted that this Instruction Trip Abroad aims to complement the comprehensive training and forge the nautical character of naval cadets; as well as, apply and reinforce the knowledge acquired at the Peruvian Naval Academy. Likewise, the Training Ship, in its capacity as an Itinerant Embassy and representative of the State, will disseminate history, national culture, promote tourism, positioning the “Peru” brand with exportable products in the countries where it arrives.
The training sailboat will be deployed for 178 days and has an itinerary that will take it to the ports of Balboa (Panama), Mayport (USA), London (England), Aberdeen (Scotland), Esbjerg (Denmark), Bremerhaven (Germany), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Liverpool (England), Dublin (Ireland), Vigo (Spain) and Matarani (Peru), before returning to Callao, scheduled for next November.
The unit set sail under the command of Captain Juan Roncagliolo Gómez. Its crew is made up of 155 members and 70 cadets from the third year of the Peruvian Naval Academy.
After the departure of the B.A.P. “Unión”, the nautical community, made up of sailboats and artisanal fishing boats, accompanied the initial crossing through the bay of Callao.